According to the latest rumors, it seems like that Horizon Zero Dawn TV series in the works at Netflix is going to be a prequel to the game’s story. Well, if they wanted different and unique, this is it. The only question is how well they can pull it off if this is indeed the case.

A Look Into the Life of the Old Ones?

"Horizon Forbidden West" game art depicting the ruins of the Grand Gate Bridge.
Maybe we can even see the Golden Gate, sorry, the Grand Gate Bridge before the fall?

According to a Jeff Grubb of US video game website and wiki Giant Bomb, he has news of the upcoming Horizon Zero Dawn TV series in the works at Netflix. Starting at 16:52, Grubb claims that the TV series now has the title of Horizon 2074. Apparently, the plot of this series will split its focus between the postapocalyptic present day of the games, and the time of the Old Ones right around their fall as the Faro Plague is ravaging the planet.

Not only that, but this TV series will not be some kind of reimagining or remake of Horizon Zero Dawn‘s main plot. Apparently, Horizon 2074 will feature a story that will “run parallel” to the main plot, and fill in the gaps in the story. Grubb even further claims that if the producers can get the funding for it, then they plan to film in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

However, even Grubb adds that these are only rumors. There currently is no official word from either Guerilla Games, Sony, or Netflix about what this Horizon Zero Dawn TV series is about. We can’t even confirm if the Horizon 2074 title is accurate. Please take these rumors with a grain of salt until we get that official confirmation. Now with that out of the way, it’s time for some fanciful speculation!

Horizon 2074: Speculation

"Horizon Zero Dawn" screenshot depicting the Faro Plague in "The Bad News" datapoint.
Presumably what this Horizon 2074 series will be for the Faro Plague segments.

If these rumors are true, then this Horizon 2074 series sounds like it could be a good show. A remake or reimagining of Horizon Zero Dawn could have every chance to go wrong. If Netflix takes any kind of liberties with that, and the fans don’t like it, then they’re in deep trouble. At the very least, it could result in the series going the way of Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop.

But if Netflix focuses on telling side stories to the game’s plot, then they neatly dodge that problem. You can’t claim that they ruining the story of Horizon Zero Dawn if they add to it rather than try to change it. Furthermore, a series that semi-focuses on humanity’s fight against the Faro Plague could be interesting as long as they keep the tone right. The data points you recover during the first game and in the sequel all indicate that the fight in the Faro Plague was a somber affair. It’s only natural, since it was indeed quite somber. Facing down humanity’s extinction will do that to you. A further look at that time could be an emotional rollercoaster ride if Netflix does this right. Now the only thing that remains is to see if Netflix will indeed carry this out. Fingers crossed.

Source: Giant Bomb, Giant Bomb YouTube